Shiva Temples of Tamilnadu

Sthala Puranam

The Hunter’s Salvation on Mahashivaratri

Thiruvaikavur is renowned for its vibrant Mahashivaratri celebrations that attract throngs of devotees each year. According to local legend, this ground bore witness to a divine manifestation, where God Shiva himself appeared before a humble hunter on the auspicious day of Mahashivaratri. The tale unfolds on the verdant banks of the River Kollidam, where a hunter, engrossed in his pursuit, spotted a deer taking refuge in the dense foliage. With unwavering determination, he gave chase, his heart set on capturing his prey. The deer sought sanctuary in the presence of a sage, who was deeply immersed in the worship of a Shivalingam beneath the canopy of a majestic tree in the nearby forest.

The hunter confronted the sage, demanding the release of the deer, and even threatened to take the sage’s life if he stood in the way of his quarry. The sage remained resolute, prepared to defend the innocent deer with his very existence. It was in this pivotal moment that God Shiva, the eternal guardian of his devoted followers, manifested in the awe-inspiring form of a magnificent tiger. The divine feline pursued the hunter, compelling him to seek refuge in the branches of a nearby tree. As the tiger stood sentinel at the base of the tree, the hunter found himself trapped, consumed by fear and hunger through the long hours of the night. He passed the time by methodically plucking leaves from the tree and casting them to the ground below.

That night happened to be Mahashivaratri, and the tree happened to be a vilva tree. The plucked leaves fell upon God Shiva, who stood beneath in the form of a tiger. Throughout the night, the hunter inadvertently performed the ritual of offering vilva leaves, which earned him the ultimate boon of Shivapadam — the state of eternal bliss and liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Yama Theertham and the Nandi’s Gaze

The next day marked the end of the hunter’s mortal life, and Yama, the god of death, arrived to claim his soul. Nandi failed to notice Yama’s entrance, so Shiva manifested as Dakshinamurthy and drove Yama away. Displeased with Nandi’s lapse in vigilance, Shiva reprimanded him, whereupon Nandi prevented Yama’s escape by holding his breath. Yama sought forgiveness, and Shiva implored Nandi to release him.

As an act of worship, Yama dug a sacred pond near the temple and used its waters to anoint the Shiva Linga, remaining there for several days in devoted worship. This pond came to be known as Yama Theertham, situated directly opposite the main entrance gate of the temple. The Nandi at this temple, unusually, does not face the inner sanctum as is customary; instead, he faces the main gate. According to tradition, this positioning is intentional — to prevent Yama from ever entering again.

Brahma and Vishnu as Dwarapalakas

The Sthala Purana recounts the mythological tale behind the unique gate guardians of this temple. Brahma, fearing his divine act of creation would be undone by an impending great flood, constructed a well at this holy site and, after venerating Shiva, humbly took his place as one of the temple’s Dwarapalakas. Mahavishnu came to occupy the role of the second guardian as the result of a curse laid upon him by Salandhiran’s wife, who learned that Mahavishnu had uttered a falsehood with the intention of vanquishing the demon Salandhiran. Having atoned for his transgression, Mahavishnu took up his post alongside Brahma, where he remains to this day performing penance at the temple entrance.

There is another sacred water body here called Agni Theertham, said to have been created by Agni, the god of fire. It is also believed that the sacred Vedas themselves, in the form of vilva trees, are performing penance at this holy site.